With the proliferation of portable battery powered devices, a need has arisen for a better and more easily constructed battery holder. This need has been heightened by the development of devices requiring multiple batteries since these multiple batteries increase the problems associated with previously known battery holders.
A useful battery holder should perform several functions in order to ensure the continued proper and safe operation of the battery powered device. The battery holder should keep the batteries in proper alignment and in uninterrupted electrical contact with each other. This can be accomplished by the use of battery interconnectors which electrically connect the batteries so that the device can draw power from all of the batteries simultaneously. Poor battery contact with the battery interconnectors causes high resistance which results in a reduction in the voltage reaching the battery powered device. Lowered voltage results in poor device performance, especially in voltage sensitive devices such as fluorescent lanterns. Poor or intermittent battery contact can also result in intermittent device operation which is objectionable to the device user.
Poor or intermittent battery contact with the battery interconnectors is usually a result of battery movement or dislodgement caused by vibration and shock. The vibration and shock cause the battery terminals to move away from ideal electrical contact with the battery interconnectors. Vibration and shock are commonly associated with portable battery powered devices, since these devices are primarily used outside of the relatively safe environment of the home or office.
The rugged use to which portable battery powered devices are subject, requires the battery holder to withstand strong shocks and impacts. The holder must withstand these shocks without battery breakthrough, a situation where, on impact, the battery breaks through the battery holder, damaging the device it is powering. This problem is accentuated by the high density of alkaline type batteries which are preferred for use in portable devices, and by the large number of such batteries required by many devices.
Many previously known battery holders were not polarized, but depended on printed warnings and instructions to maintain proper battery polarity. Improper battery polarity can damage the battery and also the portable device. Improper placement of one of several batteries into a battery holder will result in reversing the flow of electricity through the battery. This may cause that battery to leak or rupture, damaging the battery powered device. The reduced voltage resulting from the improper polarity of a battery will result in the reduced or unsatisfactory operation of the battery powered device. Complete reversal of the battery polarity, as when all the batteries are improperly inserted, may result in damage to the battery powered device.
Interrelated with sensitivity to shock and vibration, and means to insure proper battery polarity within the holder, is the ease with which batteries are inserted and removed by the user of the battery holder. Attempts to decrease battery holder sensitivity to shock and vibration, and attempts to insure proper battery polarity within the holder have in the past resulted in an increase in the difficulty associated with the insertion and removal of the batteries. Coupled with this increased difficulty in battery removal is usually an increase in damage to the battery holder caused by improper battery insertion and removal.
Many problems associated with the assembly of other manufactured articles are also encountered in the assembly of previously known battery holders. Such problems include high labor costs due to the large number of steps involved in the assembly of previous battery holders. Poor quality of the finished holder results from the large number of manual steps and individual items involved in the manufacture of previous holders. Low reliability of the finished holder in actual use is due to the large number of components used in the holder, where a failure in one component usually leads to a failure of the entire holder.